Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19-8-2021: Gene Roddenberry

19th August, 2021.

Well … 

We knew it was coming.

The £20 uplift to Universal Credit — the main unemployment benefit I’m on, as an unemployed person — comes to an end on 31st September.

I had a message about it from the DWP, last night.

For me, personally, and for my friends and neighbours who are in the same boat?

That’s one hell of a loss.

It is, after all, some £86 extra a month: £86 that makes life on the dole a lot more survivable.

For a single bloke like me, that’s money towards council tax, bills, food.

There’s families who will also be hit.

They’ll suffer a bit more, I think.

I’m upset about it: understandably.

It means Christmas is even more unaffordable than it was in 2020.

It means living is more unaffordable.

I’ll cope: there is help available.

I’ve also never voted Conservative: never.

I might: or at least, spoilt my vote, and not voted for others.

Had Boris Johnson’s government made the uplift permanent.

With Afghanistan occupying the news?

I see no sign of that change.

~≈£≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Trevor*, Olga†, Mum‡ and Debbi^ putting in their answers: with Olga, Trevor and Debbi scoring five out of five, and Mum on three.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1)        Gene Roddenberry was born: on 19th August of which year of the 1920s?

Q2)        His first series, The Lieutenant, starred Gary Lockwood.   Lockwood played Frank Poole in which science fiction film: Planet of The Apes, 2001: A Space Odyssey or The Time Machine?

Q3)        The Menagerie was the pilot episode of Roddenberry’s best known series: Star Trek.   Star Trek first aired in which year of the 1960s?

Q4)        Gene’s second wife played Nurse Chapel in Star Trek.   What was her name: Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett or Diana Muldaur?

Q5)        Finally … ?   Gene worked on the second Star Trek series: which premiered in 1987.   What was that series called?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        18th August, 1961, saw the birth of newsreader and journalist, Huw Edwards.   Which BBC 1 news programme does he present: the BBC News at One, the BBC News at Six or the BBC News at Ten?

A1)        The BBC News at Ten.   (He does Monday to Wednesday: Sophie Raworth does Thursday and Friday.   Additionally?   He’s considering retiring.   Me?   Contemporary?   Never!)

Q2)        Pierre Janssen discovered evidence of what, on 18th August, 1868: hydrogen, helium or hafnium?

A2)        Helium.

Q3)        The most recent version of Microsoft Flight Simulator was released on 18th August, 2020.   The original version of Microsoft Flight Simulator was released in which year of the 1980s?

A3)        1982.   (Every platform had one.   A similar game was made for the ZX Spectrum, around the same year.)

Q4)        18th August is the Feast day of Saint Agapitus of Palestrina.   Palestrina is in which Mediterranean country: Greece, Morocco or Italy?

A4)        Italy.

Q5)        18th August, 1917, saw the city of Thessaloniki destroyed by a fire.   Thessaloniki is in which Mediterranean country: Greece, Morocco or Italy?

A5)        Greece.

Here’s a thought … 

“I condemn false prophets, I condemn the effort to take away the power of rational decision, to drain people of their free will — and a hell of a lot of money in the bargain.”

Gene Roddenberry.

And a playlist …

Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Feel free to share today’s video Teaser.

Have a good day.

*        Julian Bream, Julian Bream … you know, I’m sure I know him from something, Trevor … 

†        Flight sims are popular, Olga: they’ve lasted, I know that.   And you’re right: illegal substances are VERY popular, for a whole variety of reasons.   (Ha!   War on Drugs!   I can still remember the Grange Hill heroin story line, and the Just Say No song^.   The storyline line was great, and provoked a lot of discussion.   The song was just plain cheesy!)

‡        Hello, Mum!

^        It was very common, Debbi.   ITV, the UK’s other main terrestrial channel, has been making a soap called Coronation Street, for years: it’s the same sort of age as Dr Who.   From what I understand, it’s got the same issues with missing episodes.   There’s ALSO missing episodes of The Avengers.   Both companies wiped early, video taped, episodes: as that was the most economic way to reuse the tapes.

^        I have to admit, Olga, I couldn’t watch the video: it’s just plain awful!